Feeding device for nonfree-flowing materials in bulk with adjustable flow control plate and elongated handle therefor



Dec. 5, 1950 E. J. VAGIM FEEDING DEVICE FOR NONFREE-FLOWING MATERIALS IN BULK WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW CONTROL PLATE AND ELONGATED HANDLE THEREFOR Filed March 28, 1945 INVENTOR. E. J. Uagim Patented Dec. 5, 1,950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING DEVICE .FOR NONFREE-FLOWING MATERIALS BIN BULK WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW CONTROL PLATE AND ELONGATED HANDLE THEREFOR Edward J. Vagim, Fresno, Calif.

Application March-28, 1945, Serial No. "585,365

'1 Claim. (01.222-314) The present invention relates in general "to an improved bulk material feeding device.

In particular this invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a power driven material feeding deviceespecially designed to accomplish regulated feeding of non-free-fiowing materials, such as raisins.

For example, in the raisin packing industry the raisins are fed to an automatic weighing machine, and it is essential that such feeding be accomplished at a substantially constant and regulated rate; it being for this purpose that the present device is particularly intended.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a material feeding device, of novel construction, arranged so that the rate of delivery can be readily adjusted, as operating conditions may require.

A further object of the invention is to provide a material feeding device which includes, between spaced parallel side plates, a feeding drum having a plurality of transversely extending, circumferentially spaced feeding cleats thereon; the cleats terminating short of the ends of the drum, and said ends projecting with a close running fit into matching openings in corresponding side plates, whereby accidental and undesirable feeding of material beyond the ends of the drum is wholly prevented.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the feeding device.

Figure 2 is a front end view of the feeding device with the front plate removed.

Figure 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fi 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a frame, indicated generally at l, which includes a pair of transversely spaced, vertical posts 2 and 3 between which a horizontal shaft 4 extends; said shaft being journaled in connection with said posts by bearing units 5. A feeding cylinder or drum 5 is fixed on the shaft 4; the axial extent of said drum being such that it terminates short of the posts 2 and 3.

The purpose of this arrangement assuresagainst accidental and undesirable end feeding of material from the ,drum 6.

Between the side plates the drum isfitted with a plurality of transversely extending, circumferentially spaced feeding cleats 9; said cleats terminating at their ends closely adjacent but short of said plates.

Ahoppenindicated generally at It, is mounted between the side plates "i above the cleated drum 6, and includes as'loping back wall E l dis-e posed substantially radially of the drum .6, with the lower edge of saidback wall disposed closely adjacent the path of the cleats e at a point some distance ahead of the vertical center line of the drum. The hopper {0 also includes a front wall unit 52 provided with a vertically adjustable flow-control plate 3. The front wall unit !2, including the vertically adjustable flow control plate I3, is disposed on substantially the vertical center line of the drum 6.

The flow control plate [3 is slotted at transversely spaced points, as at M, and is adjustably attached to the front wall unit l2 by means of spring and bolt unit i5. Vertical adjustment of the flow control plate I3 is accomplished by means of a forwardly projecting elongated handle l6 pivotally mounted to said plate l3 for relative vertical swinging movement; said handle engaging intermediate the ends over a cross rod I! which serves as a fulcrum. When the plate I 3 is to be lifted the outer end of handle it is grasped by the operator and pulled downward against the rod ll. When the plate is ie to be moved downward the operator holds the outer end of the handle it in one hand and taps or pushes on the inner end thereof to make the adjustment of such plate iii. The cross rod is secured to and extends between the side plates 1 at the upper and forward corners thereof. It will be seen that by manipulation of the handle It, the flow control plate It may be readily vertically adjusted to vary the delivery rate of material fed from the hopper H3 through the feeding slot [8 formed between the lower edge of plate l3 and the cleated drum 6. The side plates '5 are connected at the front edge by means of a front plate l9, and the cleated drum 5 is driven with the top portion turning toward said 6 plate, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. The drive for the drum 9 comprises the following:

At the upper end of the post 3, it supports a countershaft 26 on which is mounted an enlarged pulley 2i and a drive sprocket 22. The sprocket 22 drives the shaft l through the medium of an endless chain 23 which extends about an enlarged sprocket wheel 24 on said shaft 4. The pulley 2| is driven by a V-belt (not shown) from any suitable power source, as for example an electric motor.

In operation of the above described feeding device, the material to be fed, such as raisins, is discharged into the hopper ID from an endless conveyor or the like (not shown), with the cleated drum 6 rotating in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. The material is fed at a substantially constant and regulated rate from the hopper through the feeding slot [8 and is thence discharged downwardly between said drum and the front plate 19. As so discharged from the feeding device the material drops into a further mechanism; for example, an automatic material weighing machine.

By reason of the particular assembly of the hopper and cleated feeding drum, as hereinbefore described, non-free flowing materials, such as raisins, can be effectively fed at a controlled rate, which is a very distinct advantage.

From the foregoing description it will be so Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A feeding device comprising a frame, spaced side plates and a connected front plate rigid with the frame, a driven horizontal-axis material feeding drum journaled on the frame and extending between the side plates and spaced back from the front plate, a hopper mounted above the drum in material supplying relation thereto and including a front wall unit having a vertically adjustable flow control plate whose bottom edge terminates short of the drum whereby to form a material feeding slot, an elongated handle hinged on the front face of the control plate and extending thence forwardly over the front plate to a termination some distance in front of the same, and a fulcrum member adjacent the top of the front plate on which the handle rests intermediate its end.

EDWARD J. VAGIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 348,755 Mackey Sept. 7, 1886 356,581 Fee Jan. 25, 1887 367,608 Edwards et al Aug. 2, 1887 394,278 McAnulty Dec. 11, 1888 1,402,184 Sinclair Jan. 3, 1922 1,428,732 Williams Sept. 12, 1922 1,441,504 Hurt Jan. 9, 1923 1,489,739 Chisholm Apr. 8, 1924 1,866,781 Ullrich July 12, 1932 2,030,541 Rose Feb. 11, 1936 

